Roky Erickson and The Aliens

The Profile

Roky Erickson (Roger Kynard Erickson) was a central figure in 1960s psychedelic rock as co-founder of the 13th Floor Elevators and later led Roky Erickson and The Aliens, known for a shift toward horror-themed, guitar-driven songs after serious legal and psychiatric troubles.

Roger Kynard 'Roky' Erickson was an American singer-songwriter and co-founder of the 13th Floor Elevators. He experienced well-documented legal and psychiatric hospitalization episodes and received electroshock treatment; later work with The Aliens emphasized horror and supernatural themes. Erickson's influence on psychedelic rock and outsider music is widely cited.

The review frames Roky Erickson as a foundational face of psychedelia who later shifted toward horror-themed, guitar-driven rock with The Aliens. It recounts Erickson's legal and psychiatric troubles and describes The Evil One collection as dark, immediate, and populated by zombies and vampires. Key songs singled out include "I Walked With a Zombie" and "I Think of Demons."